The invention is in the field of automated processing of components, particularly electronic components. In the automated processing of electronic components, a need exists for a method and apparatus of supplying integrated circuit-type electronic components to one or more processing stations in a fast, efficient, and interchangeable manner, while minimizing the number of operators that are necessary to keep such an automated processing machine in operation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,483--Zemek, et al. discloses a typical component processing machine of the prior art, in which a single vertical supply tube is located at each of a plurality of supply stations on the front of the machine. Components are selectively transported from each station to an insert head for population of a circuit board. The apparatus of the instant invention is particularly adaptable to machines of this general nature such that, upon depletion of the components from a supply tube at a particular station, a full supply tube is automatically indexed forward to replace the depleted tube.
Prior art methods and apparatus for performing automatic exchange of empty supply tubes with full supply tubes is disclosed or inferred in the above-referenced Japanese patent applications. In both of these prior art devices, the longitudinal axes of the supply tubes or "sticks" are oriented horizontally. In Japanese patent application No. 10445/1981, horizontally oriented supply tubes are secured in a turret which is rotatable to present a selected magazine to a station for removal of the component therefrom. Such a turret arrangement could be used at each of a plurality of stations in order to provide a continuous supply of tubes to the station. Since the manner of advancing the components of a tube to the particular station is not disclosed, it is also contemplatable that the device may be oriented such that the sticks have a vertical orientation. In either event, horizontal or vertical orientation of the supply tubes, the stations may not be any closer together than the diameter of the turret mechanism, an important point when considering the fact that such a machine often may be handling as many as 70 different types of components.
Japanese patent application No. 107130/1978 discloses a plurality of horizontally oriented supply tubes, stacked one upon the other, with air pressure against a line of components acting as a feed means for emptying the bottommost supply tube. Upon emptying the bottommost supply tube, the tube is ejected from the stack in order that the next tube is available to supply components to the processing station. Horizontally oriented supply tubes have several disadvantages. Plugs are often inserted in the ends of the tubes to retain components therein, prior to unloading them, with the holes or edges for receiving these plugs having burrs that will cause horizontally fed components to be hung-up on the burrs. Additionally, it is often the case that a supply tube will be slightly warped along its longitudinal axis so that discharge of a warped tube from the stack is difficult to effect. Further, since both ends of the supply tube must be open to effect the horizontal feeding of the components from each supply tube, it is difficult to exchange or replace any of the stacked tubes without loss of components. In both of the above-referenced Japanese patent applications, the length of the supply tubes is limited by the apparatus in which they are held.
By the instant invention, there is no limit to the length of the supply tubes and, due to the gravity feed of the components, there is no such problem with burrs or warping of the tubes. Further, with the instant invention, one end of the supply tubes may be left closed in order that an easy exchange of supply tubes may be effected without loss of components.
A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of vertically stacked components, one behind the other, at each station of a component processing machine such as the type generally illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,483--Zemek, et al. Once loaded, a cartridge of the plural stacks of components is indexable toward the front of the machine to present a new supply stack to an unload station automatically, as the need arises. Each station has a corresponding indexing pusher assembly which is selectively addressable by a carriage having a means for actuating the selected pusher assembly. The cartridge containing these vertical stacks of components may be loaded and unloaded from the front of the machine such that an operator does not have to be stationed in back of the machine, or run around to the back of the machine, in order to load or unload such a cartridge. Rather, all loading and unloading may be accomplished at the front of the machine so that only one operator may handle such functions. Further, when the conventional component supply tubes or "sticks" are supported in a cartridge, the empty supply tubes are retained in the cartridge until the cartridge is removed from the machine and, thus, a complete package comprising a cartridge and a plurality of supply tubes is provided at each station for ease of handling.
Accordingly, the invention comprises a method having several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps to each of the others, and the apparatus embodying features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements of parts which are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure. The scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.